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Better dead than poor: UK millionaire
He killed family & himself after business failed, inquest told
April 05, 2009
HIS lifestyle was more important to him than his life.
That is what a debt-ridden British millionaire, believed to have killed himself and his family, his colleague told an inquest.
Mr Christopher Foster, 50, appeared to be rich and successful but the inquest was told that his business empire had collapsed.
He was in 'severe financial difficulty' and feeling suicidal, reported The Times.
He is believed to have shot dead his wife, Jill, 49, and daughter, Kirstie, 15, before setting fire to their £1.2 million ($2.7m ) mansion.
Business associate and friend Mark Bassett said that in the months before the fire, Mr Foster was adamant he would not let liquidators take his home, cars and other valuables, reported the Daily Mail.
He said Mr Foster told him: '...they're not having my stuff. I would top myself before that. They'll have to carry me out of the house in a box.'
Mr Bassett also said Mr Foster told him that his wife and child would not be able to cope.
'He also told me he would not put Jill and Kirstie through a degrading change in lifestyle,' said Mr Bassett.
'He said they were used to a certain standard of living and would not be able to cope if they needed to take a few backward steps.'
Mr Foster had apparently said he might go to the edge of his 6.5ha estate with a gun and commit suicide.
'He asked me to look after Jill and Kirstie in the event of him not being around,' he added.
Mr Bassett said he took the comments with 'a pinch of salt', but after seeing pictures of the fire last August he thought: 'He's gone and done something stupid.'
The inquest heard that Mrs Foster and Kirstie were each shot once in the back of the head with a .22 rifle.
Their badly burnt bodies and that of Mr Foster were found under rubble in the cellar having fallen from their bedrooms through the incinerated floors.
His body was found lying on top of his wife's.
Massive debt
It is thought he died from smoke inhalation.
The family's three horses and four dogs were also shot dead with the same rifle used to kill Mrs Foster and Kirstie, who attended £16,500-a-year Ellesmere College nearby.
The inquest that heard Mr Foster had assets of £3.1m, but debts of £4.4m including three mortgages on the house and an £800,000 tax bill.
His former firm, Ulva Ltd, which provided insulation for oil rigs, had thrived for 10 years but went into compulsory liquidation in September 2007.
Family doctor William Grech told the inquest that Mr Foster had confessed suicidal feelings to him over his business problems but had refused to seek support from his wife by sharing his fears with her.
Dr Grech said: 'He told me he was boxing in all his problems. He presented himself as rational and not psychotic.'
Another friend of Mr Foster, Mr Peter Grkinic, told the inquest that the dead man had told him the only option might be for him 'to disappear'.
Mr Grkinic said: 'I asked him what he meant and he said, 'Do myself in'. I told him not to be such an idiot.'
The inquest is ongoing.
Better dead than poor: UK millionaire
He killed family & himself after business failed, inquest told
April 05, 2009
HIS lifestyle was more important to him than his life.
That is what a debt-ridden British millionaire, believed to have killed himself and his family, his colleague told an inquest.
Mr Christopher Foster, 50, appeared to be rich and successful but the inquest was told that his business empire had collapsed.
He was in 'severe financial difficulty' and feeling suicidal, reported The Times.
He is believed to have shot dead his wife, Jill, 49, and daughter, Kirstie, 15, before setting fire to their £1.2 million ($2.7m ) mansion.
Business associate and friend Mark Bassett said that in the months before the fire, Mr Foster was adamant he would not let liquidators take his home, cars and other valuables, reported the Daily Mail.
He said Mr Foster told him: '...they're not having my stuff. I would top myself before that. They'll have to carry me out of the house in a box.'
Mr Bassett also said Mr Foster told him that his wife and child would not be able to cope.
'He also told me he would not put Jill and Kirstie through a degrading change in lifestyle,' said Mr Bassett.
'He said they were used to a certain standard of living and would not be able to cope if they needed to take a few backward steps.'
Mr Foster had apparently said he might go to the edge of his 6.5ha estate with a gun and commit suicide.
'He asked me to look after Jill and Kirstie in the event of him not being around,' he added.
Mr Bassett said he took the comments with 'a pinch of salt', but after seeing pictures of the fire last August he thought: 'He's gone and done something stupid.'
The inquest heard that Mrs Foster and Kirstie were each shot once in the back of the head with a .22 rifle.
Their badly burnt bodies and that of Mr Foster were found under rubble in the cellar having fallen from their bedrooms through the incinerated floors.
His body was found lying on top of his wife's.
Massive debt
It is thought he died from smoke inhalation.
The family's three horses and four dogs were also shot dead with the same rifle used to kill Mrs Foster and Kirstie, who attended £16,500-a-year Ellesmere College nearby.
The inquest that heard Mr Foster had assets of £3.1m, but debts of £4.4m including three mortgages on the house and an £800,000 tax bill.
His former firm, Ulva Ltd, which provided insulation for oil rigs, had thrived for 10 years but went into compulsory liquidation in September 2007.
Family doctor William Grech told the inquest that Mr Foster had confessed suicidal feelings to him over his business problems but had refused to seek support from his wife by sharing his fears with her.
Dr Grech said: 'He told me he was boxing in all his problems. He presented himself as rational and not psychotic.'
Another friend of Mr Foster, Mr Peter Grkinic, told the inquest that the dead man had told him the only option might be for him 'to disappear'.
Mr Grkinic said: 'I asked him what he meant and he said, 'Do myself in'. I told him not to be such an idiot.'
The inquest is ongoing.
